On-Demand Webinar: Bringing Health and Fitness to Your Workforce

An unhealthy and unfit workforce can translate into greater costs for employers, from sick leave, employee turnover, replacing workers to higher costs for short-term and long-term disability. On an individual basis, the warning signs are poor diet, physical inactivity, high blood pressure, high stress, lack of emotional fulfillment. Developing a good health and fitness culture — and considering an on-site fitness facility to encourage it — can reduce these costs.

Topics to be discussed include:

Benefits — a healthier and more productive workforce, reduced short-term and long-term disability and, increasingly important, an outlet for those suffering from mental health issues. According to the Conference Board of Canada, 44 per cent of employees have experienced a mental health issue, costing the Canadian economy $51 billion a year.

What’s necessary for an on-site fitness facility — buy-in from senior management. They have to be convinced of the benefits, and the point to make is that People are our Most Important Resource.

Misconceptions about setting up an on-site facility. One is that it’s too expensive when, in fact, a good facility can be established for under $10,000, since all you need is a treadmill, an elliptical machine, bench, leg machine, mats and mirrors. Another misconception is that it requires too much space, but most organizations have unused or wasted space, and a fitness facility or studio requires no more than 1,000 square feet.

How to set up a facility.

Case studies of employers who set up onsite fitness facilities.

Presenter: Michael Amernic, owner, Michael Amernic FitnessMichael Amernic is a fitness trainer and the owner of Michael Amernic Fitness, which develops training programs for corporate clients. He plans and delivers programs designed to improve the overall fitness level of an organization. The objective is to raise productivity, reduce absenteeism, and build a healthier work force. Michael conducts boot camps, group fitness training and one-on-one personal training. His clients include business executives, doctors, police officers, athletes and people from many other walks of life.